Optical devices or elements such as lenses, mirrors, wave plates, filters, volume Bragg gratings, prisms, light sources, such as lasers, instruments including detectors and the like are often mounted in an optical system, and particularly an experimental optical system, with the use of one or more optical mount assemblies. An example of an optical system may include an optical bench including a flat planar work surface having multiple optical devices and components mounted to the work surface. In some cases, the optical devices may be mounted with an orientation so as to provide an optical path which directs a light beam from one optical device to the next. Beams from lasers or other light sources are generally used for such applications. Optical post mount assemblies may be used in order to secure the various optical devices to the work surface or other component of the optical system, with adjustability of the orientation of the various optical elements. For such an arrangement the optical elements may be secured to an optical mount, such as a lens holder, which is in turn secured to an optical post. The optical post may be secured to an optical post mount system, which is secured to the work surface or other component of an optical system.
A user of a typical optical system may adjust the position of an optical element by rotating and/or translating an optical post within a post receiver channel of an optical post mount system. The position of the optical element may also be varied by adjusting the position of a mounting base of the optical post mount system on a work surface of the optical bench. What have been needed are optical post mount systems and methods which allow for accurate and repeatable adjustment of the position of optical posts. What have also been needed are optical post mount systems and methods that allow for removal and replacement of optical posts and associated components while maintaining accurate positioning.